Suspect caugt after 40-mile chase

A Sterling City man was taken to the emergency room at Scenic Mountain Medical Center after crashing his vehicle on Gregg Street following a car chase with law enforcement officials that lasted more than 40 miles.
According to Howard County Sheriff Stan Parker, local law enforcement officials received a call from officers in Sterling City at approximately 2:30 p.m.

“They informed us the suspect had been involved in a traffic accident in Sterling City and had fled the scene,” Parker said. “Once officers were in pursuit of him, he apparently got on Highway 87 and headed toward Big Spring. The chase never got above 70 mph, and law enforcement officers followed him the entire way.”

Once in Howard County, however, Parker said the suspect's erratic driving caused several traffic accidents.

“Once he got into Big Spring and onto Gregg Street, he hit a total of six vehicles,” Parker said. “One of those was a Big Spring Police Department vehicle and another was a sheriff's deputy's car. The chase ended near the intersection of Fifth Street and Gregg at around 3 p.m. when the suspect hit an embankment and totaled his vehicle.

“Once the vehicle was stopped, law enforcement officers had to remove him from the car. He had a knife and a screwdriver he was going to use as weapons and tasers were deployed. Once we had him in custody, he was taken to the emergency room at Scenic Mountain Medical Center.”
Parker said the suspect, whose name is not being released at this time, was apparently dealing with a mental problem or disorder at the time of the chase.

“I was able to speak with his family in Sterling City,” Parker said. “The man has been having some mental health problems for some time now. We're not releasing his name to the press at this time because charges haven't yet been filed. They are looking at him and treating him at SMMC and we'll just have to see what comes of that. However, he hasn't yet been booked into the jail.”